UT Health Northeast creates plans to renovate new location

By kchapman

Created 02/28/2014 - 6:47pm

Friday, February 28, 2014 - 6:47pm

Tyler, TX (KETK) — In September, UT health opened a new clinic in north Tyler. However, the clinic only occupies a small portion of the building, so renovations for the unoccupied space are being reviewed.

KETK spoke with the President of UT Health Northeast, Kirk Calhoun, "The additional expansion will be focused on expanding the primary care services, and that area is much younger than Tyler in general. There's a huge need for pediatric services and that's one area I really want to see grow". The clinic serves an area of Smith County that is largely living below the poverty line. Calhoun said, "North Tyler is younger than the area in general, much less well educated, much more minority, much poorer than the area in general".

So UT Health is creating a plan based on what the community needs the most. By creating a multi-pronged approach, the clinic is first dealing with chronic disease and acute health care. Their own research also shows a growing urgency for pediatric and behavioral health care. Calhoun said, "We're going to try to address many of those needs, pediatric asthma, geriatric services, and whole host of options we hope to offer out of that facility".